


SasuHina Month Day Thirteen: Susanoo and Kushinada-Hime

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: SasuHina Month 2018 [13]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-09-25 19:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17126966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: With two eager children needing a bedtime story, Sasuke recounts a famous tale that rings a little close to home.





	SasuHina Month Day Thirteen: Susanoo and Kushinada-Hime

“Ne, tōchan…tell us a story!”

“Yeah, a story! A really cool one! With monsters and bad guys and a princess!”

Perking a brow at his children, Sasuke hesitates. Storytelling isn’t among his list of talents. “…a story, hm…?”

“Yeah, like kāchan tells us before bed!” The twins look to him expectantly, tucked beneath their sheets with eager, mismatched eyes.

Ah, so this is usually Hinata’s doing, is it? Well then…he puts a thoughtful hand to his chin, trying to think of any stories he might remember that fit the bill. Most he knows are old Shintō myths his mother used to recite. Sorting through them in his mind, one stands out…and he can’t help but find it a little ironic.

Susanoo and Kushinadahime…saved from the evil Orochi. Much like Itachi’s Susanoo once vanquished Orochimaru during their battle. It’s a bitter memory, but…well, he might as well use it. Take too long to decide, and he’ll have a riot on his hands.

“Let’s see…” Head bowed, he closes his eyes, trying to find the right tone to tell his tale. “…long, long ago, the great kami Susanoo descended from the heavens to walk the planes of man. And while on such a journey, walking along a riverbank, he heard weeping. Drawn to the sound, he stepped out of the trees to find a young maiden knelt along the bank…”

In his mind, he can’t help but picture himself in the titular role, donned in his avatar’s armor. And there, playing the part of the damsel, was none other than Hinata, looking to him with doleful eyes.

“‘Why are you crying?’ the great god asked, lifting the maiden’s chin. She had eyes like moons, glittering with tears and looking to him sadly. ‘I fear the coming of the great beast, Orochi…he has devoured many women from my village before me…and I am to be the next’…”

Enraptured, one twin leans forward while his sister cowers up to her nose beneath her blankets.

Finding himself just as lost in the tale, Sasuke can’t help but begin pantomiming. “And so Susanoo learned of the terrible monster, the Orochi. A snake with eight heads, eight tails, and a forest upon his back! Every year he came seeking a beautiful girl to eat, to strike fear and hopelessness into the hearts of the villagers!”

Gasping, his daughter buries her head.

“Susanoo, however, would not stand for such a tragedy. ‘Come with me, to be my bride…and I will slay the monster to free your village!’ And so, they laid a trap for the beast: a jug of sake for each head.

“When the beast came down from the hills, it could not resist the temptation of the spirits, and drank…once it fell sleeping, Susanoo drew his sword…and cut the heads off, one by one!”

Behind him, Hinata glances in, a bit curious at the goings on. Seeing the reaction of their children, she hides a smile behind a palm. She may have just lost her job as bedtime storyteller.

“And there, within the monster’s belly, was a legendary sword: the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. Susanoo drew the mighty weapon from the corpse, raising it to the sky in victory! And then, with his new bride, he built a palace for them both, and they lived happily ever after.”

“Aww, that’s it? No more monsters? No bad guys?” The boy’s lips draw into a pout. “But there’s gotta be more story than that!”

“Susanoo had many adventures…but we’ll have to save them for another night.”

“I don’t like that story…” Peeking out from under her covers, the younger twin’s voice is small with fear. “What if the Orochi comes looking for me…?”

“Don’t worry imōto!” Scrambling out of bed despite his father’s chiding, her brother draws a bamboo practice ‘sword’. “Otōsan and I will protect you! We can use the magic sword!”

Magic? Did he say it was magic?

“Don’t worry, dear,” Hinata offers, drawing all eyes as she steps into the room. “The Orochi was slain long ago. He won’t bother anyone anymore.”

“By Susanoo, right?”

“That’s right. So don’t fret. You’re safe.”

With the excitement over, the pair tuck their children back into bed, switching off the light and leaving them to sleep.

“You should tell stories more often,” Hinata implores, giving Sasuke a teasing smile. “I was enraptured!”

Sasuke simply scoffs. “It was just an old Shintō tale. Nothing I can take credit for.”

“Either way, you told it well.”

Settling down for a quiet evening with his wife, Sasuke is silent for a time before offering, “…you know, Itachi recreated that legend.”

“Did he?”

“Mm…during our fight, he drew out Orochimaru’s influence over me. It took a form much like Orochi. And Itachi’s Susanoo defeated it with a sword…and Orochimaru also had a sword in his guts.”

In the middle of pouring tea, Hinata pauses, blinking.

“…there was no Kushinadahime, however.”

Silence, and then a snicker. “Are you sure it wasn’t  _you_ …? After all, Orochimaru wanted to  _eat_  you, in a sense.”

Sasuke’s expression quickly turns sour. “I wasn’t some  _weeping maiden_.”

Hinata just keeps smiling. “Of course not, dear. But…it  _is_  strange how close those parallels run. I wonder what the twins would think if you told them.”

“…leave it to Itachi to steal my thunder.”

Handing him his cup, Hinata settles beside him with a sigh. “Well…maybe we’ll save that family tale for…another time. The context is a little…unsuitable, anyway. I’m not sure how well they would like hearing about their father and uncle fighting.”

“Hn…” Sipping the amber liquid, Sasuke goes quiet. Recalling that battle is still difficult for him, what with his perspective now.

But at least all has been made right, in the end.

“Well…we’d best get you to bed. You’ve got an early shift tomorrow, right?”

“Right…”

“Sure you can sleep after such a scary bedtime story?”

In spite of himself, the Uchiha snorts. “I’m more worried about our daughter.”

“Well,  _you_ told her the story,  _you_ can deal with her bad dreams. I’ll be getting a full night’s sleep.”

“Not scared of any monsters stealing you away?”

“Mm, no,” she replies, giving him a warm smile. “I think there would be a very angry Susanoo right here if his Kushinadahime so much as suffered a scratch.”

“Hn…” Unable to deny it, he instead offers, “This Kushinadahime is no weeping woman. I’m sure she could hold her own against any monster that came her way.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Hinata gifts him a kiss, and then murmurs, “…enough bedtime stories. Susanoo needs his rest.”

“That he does.”

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to go with something a bit fluffier this time around x3 I borrowed my spur-of-the-moment SasuHina kidlings from the Twins prompt for this one - if I’m not careful, I might have to make true OCs out of them!  
> I considered doing something more crossover-y, but in the end I didn’t have quite enough time, so…we get some famjam time, instead! It’s not quite as long as I wanted (I’m trying to keep an average word count lol), but I also didn’t want to drag it out too much~  
> Hope y’all enjoyed, and I’ll see ya tomorrow!


End file.
